Psychology 11th edition Myers Chapter 6
Bottom-up processing
Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information (feature analysis of stimulus that begins with sensory information)
posthypnotic suggestion
a suggestion, made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors
fovea
center of retina (CONES ONLY)
Retinal disparity
difference in what our TWO eyes see
Sensory adaption
eventually, adjust to ALL sensory input
Perceptual set
get "set in our ways"; see something...form a "hunch" (schema)...hard to break
Rods
retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; useful in dim lighting; found in periphery of retina (LIGHT SENSITIVE)
EYE to VISUAL CORTEX
rods/cones activate ganglion cells; fibers converge, form OPTIC NERVE (connects eye w/brain)
Hue
the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light (blue, green, etc.)
sensory interaction
the principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste
parallel processing
the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously (interaction of many neurons)
vestibular sense
the sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance
Weber's law
to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant PROPORTION (not AMOUNT)
Inner ear
vibration of FLUID inside COCHLEA - oval window (opening to cochlea) - basilar membrane (holds...) - hair cells (receptors for hearing)
Middle Ear
vibration of MOVEABLE PARTS - eardrum transmits sound waves to... hammer, anvil, stirrup
opponent-process theory
"opposing response" to three colors (red-green, blue, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision.
Visual cliff
A laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals.
Top-down processing
Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations (the role of expectations and knowledge in shaping perceptions)
gestalt
an organized whole. (we have a tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes)
trichromatic theory
any color created by combining RED, GREEN BLUE
Signal detection theory
A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person's experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness.
Phi phenomenon
An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
Depth Perception
The ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance.
Priming
The activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response.
Figure-ground relationship
The organization of the visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the ground).
Transduction
Conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brain can interpret.
Absolute threshold
Minimum stimulus needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time
Cones
Receptor cell in fovea of retina that detect color and fine detail; function in daylight or well lit scenarios (COLOR SENSITIVE)
Grouping
The perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups.
Sensation
The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Perception
The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events.
Psychophysics
The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them.
Difference threshold
We experience it as a "just noticeable difference" (jnd).
cochlea
a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear; sound waves traveling through the cochlear fluid trigger nerve impulses
Cochlear implant
a device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
iris
a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye
hypnosis
a social interaction in which one person suggests to another that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur
dissociation
a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others
Subliminal [stimulation]
ability to sense stimuli BELOW absolute threshold
retina
absorbs light; processes images; sends info to brain
Perceptual adaptation
adapt to changes in input (visual/other)
lens
behind pupil; FOCUSES. Lens can ADJUST
embodied cognition
in psychological science, the influence of bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences and judgements
feature detectors
nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement
Perceptual constancy
not deceived when objects change characteristics (table is still square)
Lightness constancy
objects have a constant "lightness"
frequency theory
pitch depends on RATE at which ENTIRE membrane vibrates (low-pitched sounds)
place theory
pitch located on different PLACES of basilar membrane (high-pitched sounds)
Blind spot
point at which optic nerve leaves the eye; no receptor cells located here
conduction hearing loss/deafness
problem with CONDUCTING sound waves to cochlea
sensorineural hearing loss/nerve deafness
problem with hair cell receptors (aging, heredity, prolonged exposure to loud noises)
Binocular cues
require BOTH eyes (nearby - app. 25 feet)
Monocular cues
require either eye alone (past 25 feet) (cues—Height, motion, size, interposition, linear perspective, light & shadow)
nociceptors (pressure receptors?)
sensory receptors that enable the perception of pain in response to potentially harmful stimuli (cells that respond to touch)
pupil
the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters (center of iris)
Intensity
the amount of energy in a light wave or sound wave (determined by wave's amplitude/height) (DETERMINES BRIGHTNESS)
Wavelength
the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the next (DETERMINES COLOR)
Optic nerve
the nerve that carries neural impulses from eye to brain
kinesthesia
the system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
gate-control theory
the theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. The "gate" is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers sending other sensory info